10 Lessons for a Lovely Life

There’s a vast difference between living, actually living, and merely existing, the disparity between life and death. I’m not talking of the human body here, but of the soul, the part of us that gives life to the shell we call a body.

A favorite song of mine has this line in the lyrics – “I’m going to die if I don’t start to live again” – a sentence that took on a whole new meaning for me after I had to undergo two major surgeries in the span of two years.

My body made great strides in rehab, but my mind refused to keep up. It took a whole lot of loving support, from both friends and family, and a resolute determination on my part to start living again, because I certainly did not want to die a living death. Here’s what I learned I must do to put more life into each day of the rest of my life:Â

1. Wake up with something to look forward to each day.

Mornings and sunrises are beautiful, but it’s hard to crawl out of bed if you don’t have a reason to face the day. Look forward to something everyday so that you don’t find waking up a problem.

2. Start the day with at least half an hour of exercise.

Exercise is the best medicine for both the body and the mind. It improves your physical and mental health in more ways than one. Hit the gym, jog in the park, take up a sport, or exercise at home, but make sure you get your daily dose of physical exertion.

3. Do something you love at least once a week.

Of course, you could do it everyday, but that may not be practically possible. So pamper yourself when you can – if it’s the movies you love, do a round of the theaters on Saturday, if you’re the partying kind, hang out with like-minded friends; in short, give in to what you want to do rather than what you’re supposed to do, as long as you don’t end up hurting someone intentionally.

4. Get enough sleep.

Sleep is the panacea to cure all ills; when you get a good night’s sleep, it shows the next day – you’re brimming with energy, confidence and a positive attitude because your body is rested and ready to face the new day.

5. Love like it was your first time.

Maybe you’ve loved and lost, but that’s no reason to never fall in love again. The trick to staying happy in love and avoiding the heartache is to forget the person but not the lesson learned. Don’t make the mistakes you did the first time, but at the same time, don’t hold back for fear of getting hurt the next.

6. Give your best at work.

There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes only from a job well done. And when you know you’ve given your best at work, when the results start to show, irrespective of whether you’re praised or not, you feel good about yourself.

7. Save some of your money.

Even if you’re in the most secure job in the world, don’t spend your entire salary and live from paycheck to paycheck. Save some money each month, either for a rainy day or to fund your vacations and getaways. Besides saving some of what you make, make it a point to never spend more than you earn. Use your credit cards judiciously and pay off your bills on time. Debt may be a tiny four-letter word, but the consequences are huge and lifelong and certainly not worth risking.

8. Don’t deny yourself occasional treats.

Even if you’re on a diet, give in to your cravings once in a while. A whole ice cream may be detrimental to your diabetes but a spoonful does no real harm. If you wake up with the urge to play truant from work, it’s okay to tell your boss a small white lie and spend the day in the park or just lolling around in bed. The best way to derive satisfaction from these shenanigans is to restrict them to once-in-a-while affairs.

9. Live according to your conscience.

We’re all good people at heart; it’s just circumstances that change each of us and force us to adapt to new environments and situations. At the end of the day though, what really matters is that we live life as dictated by our conscience and not by what the world deems good or bad. There’s nothing that’s completely black or completely white, they’re all varying shades of grey. Do what you think is right, without affecting other people adversely.

10. Dress well, look good.

Clothes maketh the man, or so we’ve heard. The best way to feel good on a lousy day is to treat yourself to a complete makeover – hair, body, fingers, toes, the works. Buy a couple of new outfits and you’re ready to take on the world. It’s amazing what looking good does for your confidence levels.

Learn from yesterday. Always keep your cup empty to learn and take in more knowledge and appreciate the experience of others. Even though Life is NOW, remember decisions we make affect our future. Just my take on the subject.

When someone lives without Passion, they are never really â€œLivingâ€. Once you find your PASSION, it truly is like youâ€™ve awaken. Colors seem brighter, food tastes better, you begin to notice all the beauty around you, as if some dark cloud lifted. Most of the time, that feeling you feel when something is “missing” out of your life is Passion.

I was in complete agreement with every point on this list exce[t for the final one. All of these ideas are possible for and available to persons from every walk of life except the last one. All of these suggestions focus on meaningful change, except the last one.

The idea of getting a complete makeover — even at a discounted price — and a couple of new outfits — even at a second-hand shop is beyond the financial werewithal of many. Additionally, it’s a completely surface, ephemeral change.

I would take the last item off the list and replace it with DO A GOOD DEED WITHOUT EXPECTATION OF RECOGNITION or REWARD. Do something kind and unexpected for another person, even if it’s as simple as telling someone you like or admire why you like/admire her.

My two cents…Thank you! And remember “every day that you live well, you are well.”

I disagree with Melissa about the last one being wrong. Looking good in clothes (they don’t have to be expensive or w/e) does a lot for most peoples self confidence, as superficial as it may be. I suppose it depends on person to person.. if you make your mood revolve around how good you perceive yourself to look that day that’s no good. However, it’s important for many (I would argue everyone) to look their best.

This is a great list, and something I really needed today. Number 9 especially is important because it’s so easy to get caught up in the beliefs of others, and not to think for ourselves. I’ve been reading a great book about this called Living Life As If Thinking Matters. If you get a chance to check it out, I think you’d really enjoy it.